LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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Shelf -_t_C8___. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



SECRETS OF THE TRADE 



FOR 



WATCHMAKERS AND JEWELERS. 



These for mti Ice and recipes have been gathered 
from the most reliable sources, and can be 
thoroughly recommended by the authors. 




COLLINS & CLIFTON, 

MANUFACTURING JEWELERS AND WATCHMAKERS, 

GREENVILLE, S. C. 

"Southern School for Watchmakers and Jewelers. 1 '' 



JUNE, .1892. 



1892: 
Shannon & Co., Printers and Binders, 
Greenville, S. C. 



JL 



$ 



Copyright, 1892. 

COLLINS & CLIFTON, 

Greenville, S. C. 





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PREFACE. 

The object of writing this text book is to place before 

the Jobbers, Watchmakers, Jewelers and Horological 

Schools a treatise that can be of some use and 

thoroughly relied upon by all the branches of the trade. 

Having spent considerable time over this work we hope 

and trust that it will meet with all the requirements it 

is purposed to. Trusting that our endeavors have not 

been lost on the immense area of the United States, 

and, on the other hand, that they will be appreciated, 

we remain yours respectfully, 

COLLINS & CLIFTON, 

"Southern School for Watchmakers and Jewelers." 



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INTRODUCTION. 

We wish to state to our readers that, in all the follow- 
ing recipes, it is absolutely necessary to employ the use 
of pure chemicals, unless otherwise stated, and that, 
should any of our recipes not be fully understood, we 
would be most pleased to make them so on receipt of a 
self-addressed envelope; and further, that the weights 
and measures are perfectly exact. Care must be exer- 
cised in compounding and mixing solutions, powders, 
etc., being careful to keep from inhaling the fumes and 
vapors given forth by the chemical action of any of the 
substances which may be used or operated upon. In 
filtering solutions, etc., a common glass funnel with a 
little fine cotton pressed into the neck may be used to 
advantage, being the most economical filter that we 
know 7 of. 



I' ' : *! _- ■ • ' • ' • ■ ; '''"_'_ 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/secretsoftradefoOOcoll 



SECRETS OF THE TRADE. 

CHAPTER I. 

ALLOYS. 

Gold alloj^s for enamelling or lapping : 

Gold i oz. 

Silver 9 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 9 dwts. 

Copper . , . . . 3 " 12 grs. 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 10 dwts. 

Copper . . ... 3 " 12 grs. 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 1 dwt. 12 gr. 

Copper 2 " 12 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver . . . . • 9 dwt. 12 gr. 

Copper 7 " 12 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 14 dwts. 

Copper 8 " 

Gold 2 ozs. 5 dwts. 

Silver 1 oz. 6 " 

Copper 5 " 

Pin Brass 5 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver .... .• 12 dwts. 

Copper 6 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 



Enamelling gold for transparent enamelling : 

Gold i. oz. 

Silver 14 dwts. 

Copper 6 

Gold 1 oz - 

Silver , • ■ ■ 1 dwt. 20 grs. 

Copper J 4 

18k Pale Gold r oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 15 grs. 

iSk Gold 1 oz. 12 grs. 

Silver 3 dwts. 8 grs. 

Copper 3 8 ' 

Alloys for best gold pens : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 5 dwts. 

Copper 7 "18 grs. 

Spelter 1 " 6 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Composition 1 " 13 dwts. 

Composition for the above : 

Silver 1 oz. 17 dwts. 

Copper • 5" l 5 

Spelter 18 dwts. 20 grs. 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 2 " 

Copper.. -. .... .......... 1 

"Yellow gold : 

Gold . . . 1 oz. 

Silver 5 dwts. 6 grs. 

Copper 3 " I2 " 

Pin Brass 18 



Secrets of the Trade. 



Gold • . . . i oz. 

Silver . . • 4 dwts. 

Copper 4 " 

Pin Brass 16 " 

Gold i oz. 

Silver 5 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper 3 " 12 " 

Pin Brass 19 " 6 " 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 3 dwts. 21 grs. 

Copper 9 " 3 " 

Composition 5 " 6 

Gold 15 dwts. 9 grs. 

Silver 5 " J 9 " 

Copper 3 " 2I " 

Composition 15 

Composition for the above : 

Copper ■ • 1 oz. 

Spelter ' " 5 dwts. 

In making solder for the foregoing, always take of the 
alloyed gold yon are using, 1 dwt., silver 12 grs. 

Handy Table of Alloys— Different Qualities 
of Gold. 



QUALITY. 


FINE GOLD. 


COMPOSITION. 


TOTAL. 
Oz. Dwt. Gr. 




Oz. Dwts. Grs. 


Oz. Dwts. Grs. 


9 karat 


7 12 


12 12 


100 


12 " 


10 


10 


100 


15 " 


12 12 


7 12 


100 


18 " 


15 


050 


1 


22 " 


18 18 


016 


100 



10 Secrets of the Trade. 

Composition for the above : 

Silver 3 ozs. 5 dwts. T2grs. 

Copper 8 " 12 " 12 " 

Spelter 1 " 18 " 6 " 

Bright gold, 9k: 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 7 dwts. 

Composition 1 oz. 6 dwts. 

Gold, 8k : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 8 dwts. 

Composition 1 oz. 12 dwts. 

Composition for making 9k gold for above : 

Copper 44 ozs. 

Spelter 8 " 

Gold, 8k : 

Gold 5 dwts. 

Silver 3 " 6 grs. 

Copper 6 " 12 " 

California : 

Gold 11 ozs. 

Composition 15 " 10 dwts. 

Composition for California : 

Silver 15 ozs. 12 dwts. 

Copper •-.... 67 " 

Spelter 11 " 

Spelter alloy : 

8k gold 1 oz. 13 dwts. 6 grs. 

Silver 1 " 12 " 12 " 

Copper 1 " 12 " 6 " 

Spelter 4 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 11 

How to make any karat gold from fine 24k gold : 

Example. — Suppose you have 70 dwts. of fine gold and desire to 
make 14k. You should proceed as follows : 

70 dwts. the weight, 
24k the quality. 

1680 number of dwts. of ik. 

14)1680(120 number of dwts. of 24k. 
70 " " " " " 

50 alloy to be added. 

If you wish to use American gold, multiply the weight by 21 3-5k, 

or if you use sovereigns, multiply the weight by 22k. 

You can make these alloys in ozs., dwts. or grs. 

18k French alloy : 

Gold 150 parts. 

Silver 23 " 

Copper 27 " 

18k Red : 

Gold 90 parts. 

Silver 5 " 

Copper 25 " 

10k gold : 

Gold 64 parts 

Silver 15 " 

Copper 17 " 

16k red gold : 

Gold 64 parts. 

Silver f •■' 

Copper 25 

14k gold : 

Gold 140 parts. 

Silver 40 " 

Copper 1 60 



12 Secrets op the Trade. 

14k red : 

Gold 70 parts. 

Silver -. . 10 " 

Copper 40 

12k gold : 

Gold 120 parts. 

Silver 50 " 

Copper 70 " 

12k red gold : 

Gold 120 parts. 

Silver 30 " 

Copper . . . . ' 90 

10k gold: 

Gold 100 parts. 

Silver 60 " 

Copper ....-.-, 80 " 

12k red gold : 

Fine gold 12 dwts. 

Copper 12 " 

White gold : 

Gold 12 dwts. 

Silver 12 " 

Green gold : 

Gold 19 parts. 

Silver 5 

18k green gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 6 dwts. 6 grs. 

19k green gold : 

Gold 5 dwts. 

Silver 1 " 12 grs. 



Secrets of the Trade. 13 

16k red gold : 

Gold . . . . • 5 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 12 grs. 

20k red gold : 

Gold 5 dwts. 

Copper • i " 6 grs. 

17k gold : 

Gold 15 dwts. 

Silver i " 10 grs. 

Copper 4 " 17 " 

18k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 10 grs. 

Copper 2 " 5 " 

18k gold: 

Gold 15 dwts. 

Silver 2 " 4 grs. 

Copper ....•• 2. " 19 " 

18k gold: 

Gold 18 dwts, 

Silver 2 " 18 grs. 

Copper 3 " 18 • " 

18k gold : 

Gold . . . • • 1 oz. 1 dwt. 6 grs. 

Silver 3 dwts. 10 grs. 

Copper 4 " 12 " 

19k gold: 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 2 dwts. 6 grs.' 

Copper . 3 " 12 '" 



14 Secrets of the Trade. 



20k gold : 

Gold i oz. 

Silver 2 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 4 grs. 

12k gold : 

Gold iS dwts. 

Silver 12 " 

Copper 1 " 3 g rs - 

17k gold : 

Gold 1 dwt. 

Silver 6 grs. 

15k gold: 

Gold • • ■ • • • • 1 oz. 

Silver 3 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper 9 " 

14k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 

Copper 9 "12 grs. 

14k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper ■ 10 " 

13k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper ............... \o " 12 " 

13k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 6 dwts. 

Copper 8 •' 



Secrets of the Trade. 15 

13k gold : 

Gold i oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper 10 " 12 " 

Ilk gold: 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver 8 dwts. 

Copper 4 " 

15k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 18 dwts. 

Silver 12 dwts. 12 grs. 

Copper t 10 " 

Extra color — 16k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver • . 6 dwts. 

Copper • • 4 " 

Blue gold : 

Fine gold 18 dwts. 

Iron 6 " 

7k gold : 

Copper 9 ozs. 

' Silver . . • ■ 8 " 

Gold • 7 " 

Gray gold : 

Fine gold 16 dwts. 16 grs. 

Iron charcoal 3 • " 8 " 

Melting Points of Gold, Etc. 

23k will rnelt at 2 012 Fahr. 

22k " " " . . . 2 009 " 

20k " " " 2 002 " 

18k " " « 1 995° » 



1(> 



Secrets of the Trade. 



15k will melt at 1 992° 

13k " " " 1 99°° 

12k " « « . . 1 987° 

10k " " " 1 982 

9k " " " 1 979° 

8k " " " 1 973° 

7k " " " 1 960 

Pure copper . 1 994° 

Fine silver 1 873 

Composition 1 587 

Pure Spelter 773° 



Table of Weights. 



QUALITIES 






ozs. 


DWTS. 


GRi 


24k of given dimensions will 


weigh 


I 


O 


O 


23k " 


' " " 


" 




19 


12 


22k " ' 


' " " 


" 




19 


O 


20k " ' 


' " " 


" 




18 


O 


18k " 


( u u 


" 




17 


12 


15k " ' 


' " " 


" 




16 


O 


13k " ' 


( (( li 


" 




15 


O 


12k " ' 


' " "- 


" 




14 


12 


10k " ' 


< « « 


" 




14 


O 


9 k " < 


' u " 


" 




13 


12 


8k " 


( U (i 


•' 




13 


O 


7 k " < 


' " " 


" 




12 


12 


Silver ' 


' " " 


" 




IO 


12 


Spelter ' 


1 (i << 


" 




9 


O 


Composition " 


a 




8 


12 


Copper 


I (i a 


" 




7 


12 



CHAPTER II. 

GOLD SOLDERS. 
Solder for 18k gold : 

Gold 14 grs. 

Silver 6 " 

Copper 4 " 

For 18 k red gold : 

Gold 14 grs. 

Silver 5 " 

Copper 5 " 

For 16k gold : 

Gold 12 grs. 

Silver 7 " 

Copper 5 " 

For 16k red gold : 

Gold 12 grs. 

Silver 7 " 

Copper 5 " 

For 14k gold : 

Gold 12 grs. 

Silver 8 " 

Copper 6 " 

For 14k gold : 

Gold 1 oz. 

Silver • . . . 5 dwts. 



18 Secrets of the Trade. 

For 20k gold : 

Gold i oz. 

Silver 4 dwts. 

For 20k gold : 

Gold 12 dwts. 

Silver . . * • • - 7 " 

Pale gold solder : 

Alloyed gold • ... i dwt. 6 grs. 

Silver . . . i 



For 8k gold : 

Gold lYz dwts. 

Silver 9 " 18 grs. 

Copper 6 " 18 " 

Brass 15 " 

For 5k gold : 

Gold 5 dwts. 

Silver 13 " 

Copper . 6 " 

Brass 15 grs. 

For 3 k gold : 

Gold 1 dwt. 

Copper 1 " 

Brass 1 " 

Silver 4 " 

Copper solder : 

Coin silver 16 dwts. 

Copper 3 " 

Brass 1 " 

For 10k gold : 

14k gold 10 dwts. 

Hard silver solder 22 " 



Secbets of the Trade. 19 

For 6k gold : 

Fine gold 6 dwts. 

Silver 12 " 

Copper 6 " 

For 5k gold : 

14k gold 6 dwts. 

Hard silver solder ....... 8 " 

Metallic Elements. 
NAME OF MATAI V . SYMBOL. SPECIFIC GRAVITY* 

Platinum Pt 21 45 

Gold Au 19 35 ^ 

Mercury Hg 13 56 

Lead Pb 11 40 

Silver Ag 10 48 

Bismuth Bi 9 84 

Copper Cu 8 90 

Nickel Ni 8 55 

Iron Fe 7 78 

Tin Sn 7 27 

Zinc Zn 7 00 

Antimony - . . • . Sb 6 75 

Arsenic As 5 80 

Aluminum .... Al 2 58 



CHAPTER III. 

SILVER ALLOYS. 

Cheap silver : 

Silver 2 ozs. 

Copper 7 dwts. 

Brass 7 " 

Bismuth 6 " 

vSalt 6 " 

White arsenic 2 " 

Potash 2 " 

1 — Common silver : 

Silver 6 ozs. 

Copper 4 

2 — Common silver : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Copper 10 dwts. 

1 -Good silver alloy : 

Silver 11 ozs. 

Copper 18 dwts. 

2— Good silver: 

Silver 1 oz. 

Copper 1 dwt. 12 grs. 

3 — Good silver : 

Silver . 1 oz. 

Brass 5 dwts. 



Secrets of the Trade. 21 

1 — French silver : 

Silver 18 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 

2 — French silver : 

Silver 19 dwts. 

Copper 1 " 

SIL VER SOLDER. 
1— Silver solder, hard : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Brass 10 dwts. 

2— Silver solder, hard : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Brass 10 dwts. 

Spelter 2 " 

3 — Silver solder, hard : 

Silver 14 dwts. 

Copper 8 " 

1 — Common silver solder : 

Silver 16 dwts. 

Copper 12 grs. 

Brass 3 dwts. 12 grs. 

2 — Common silver solder : 

Silver 10 ozs. 

Brass . . 6 " 10 dwts. 

Spelter 15 dwts. 

1 — Easy silver solder : 

Silver 20 ozs. 

Copper 3 " 8 dwts. 

Brass 13 " 

Spelter 1 " 



22 Secrets of the Trade. 



2— Easy silver solder : 

Silver 13 dwts. 8 grs. 

Brass 3 " l6 " 

3— Easy silver solder : 

Silver 4 ozs - 

Brass 22 dwts. 

Zinc 12 " 

4— Easy silver solder : 

Silver 1 oz 

Brass 10 dwts. 

1 — Yery common solder : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Brass 1 " 

Arsenic (white) 1 " 

2 — Very Common solder : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Brass 10 dwts. 

Arsenic 5 " 

Medium solder : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Copper 3 dwts. 

Arsenic (yellow) 5 " 

Medium silver solder : 

Silver 15 dwts. 

Copper 4 " 

Spelter 1 " 

Solder for aluminum : 

Spelter 18 dwts. 

Aluminum 1 " 6 grs. 

Copper 18 grs. 



Secrets of the Trade. - 23 



Silver solder for gold plating : 

Silver i oz. 

Copper 5 dwts. 

Brass 5 " 

iSolder for aluminum : 

Aluminum 5 ozs. 

Zinc . . . 20 " 

Best hard solder : 

Silver 16 dwts. 

Copper • • 3 " i2grs. 

Spelter ~. . 12 grs. 

Quick silver solder : 

Silver 10 dwts. 

Brass 5 " 

Block Tin 1 " 

Quick-running solder : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Brass 10 dwts. 

Pure tin 2 " 

SOFT SOLDERS. 
Bismuth solder : 

Bismuth 6 ozs. 

Lead 7 " 10 dwts. 

Tin 10 " 10 " 

Soft solder : 

Lead 1 oz. 

Pure tin 2 " 

Quick soft solder : 

Bismuth • .... 2 ozs. 

Tin 1 " 

Lead 1 " 



24 Secrets of the Trade. 



Fusing Points of Solders. 

Haid solder will melt at ....... . 1866 Fahr. 

Medium " " " " 1843 " 

Easy " " " " 1818 " 

Common " " " " • 1826° 

Quick " " " " 1802 " 

Fusing Points of Metals. 
NAME OF METALS. FAHR. CENTI. 

Platinum — (infusible except by oxyhydro blowpipe). 

Cast iron 2786 1530 

Nickel 2700 1482 

Gold 2016 1102 

Copper 1994° 1090 

Silver 1873 1023 

Aluminum 1300 705° 

Zinc 773° 41 2° 

Lead 612 322 

Bismuth 497 258 

Tin 442 228 

Antimony — (fuses below red heat). 
Arsenic — (volatilizes before it fuses). 



CHAPTER IV. 

GENERAL ALLOYS. 

Imitation gold : 

Silver 2 ozs. 5 dwts. 

Copper 1 " 

Composition 1 " 

(Composition for same). 

Copper 44 ozs. 

Spelter 8 " 

Imitation silver : 

Silver 1 oz. 

Nickel 1 " 11 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 9 " 

Silverine : 

Silver 3 ozs. 

Nickel 1 " 11 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 9 " 

Spelter 10 dwts. 

1 —Counterfeit gold : 

Platina 4 ozs. 

Copper 2 " 10 dwts. 

Zinc 1 " 

Tin 2 " 

Lead 1 " 10 " 

2— Counterfeit gold : 

Platina 1 oz. 

Silver 10 dwts. 

Copper 1 oz. 10 dwts. 



26 Secrets of the Trade. 



Oreide : 

Copper 4 ozs - 

Zinc i " 16 dwts. 

Counterfeit silver : 

Copper i oz. 

Tin 24 " 

Antimony 1 " 10 dwts. 

Bismuth 5 dwts. 

German silver : 

Copper 25 ozs. 

Zinc 15 " 

Nickel • • 10 " 

Gold amalgam : 

Gold 8 dwts. 

Mercury • ■ • • 1 " 

Simple oreide: 

Copper 90 ozs. 

Zinc 30 " 

Another simple oreide : 

Copper 100 ozs. 

Zinc . 50 " 

Alloy for compensation balances : 

Silver 2 ozs. 

Copper 2 " 

Zinc 1 " 

Artificial gold : 

Copper 100 ozs. 

Tin 17 " 

Aluminum alloy: 

Copper 35 ozs. 

Nickel 11 " 10 dwts. 

Aluminum 3 " 10 " 



Secrets of the Tkade. 27 

Fictitious silver: 

Nickel i oz. 1 1 dwts. 

Copper 2 " 9 " 

Silver i " 

Another : 

Silver i oz. 

Nickel i " ii dwts 

Copper 2 " 9 " 

Malleable brass : 

Copper 33 ozs. • 

Zinc . 25 " 

Babbitt metal : 

Copperas 4 ozs. 

Antimony 3 " 

Tin 96 " 

Non-Tarnishable brass: 

Zinc . 72 ozs. 

Tin ■ • . . . 21 " 

Copper 7 " 

White brass : 

Copper 1 oz. 

Zinc 8 " 

Iron 1 " 

Japanese brass : 

Copper 10 ozs. 

Zinc . 5 " 

Common brass : 

Copper 6 ozs. 

Zinc 2 " 



28 Secrets of the Trade. 

Imitation gold : 

Copper 16 ozs. 

Zinc I " 

Platinum . . 7 " 

Hard white metal : 

Aluminum 20 ozs. 

Silver 1 " 

Imitation gold— (non-tarnishable) : 

Copper 50 ozs. 

Zinc 25 " 

Another : 

Copper . . . .' 45 ozs. 

Zinc 15 " 

Imitation silver : 

Silver 2 ozs. 1 gr. 

Copper 65 " 10 " 

Zinc 19 " 10 dwts. 

Nickel 13 " 

Cobalt and iron 2 dwts. 

Low temperature alloy : 

Bismuth . ■ 47 ozs. 2 dwts. 

Cadmium , 13 " 1 " 

Lead 19 " 3 " 12 grs. 

Tin 20 " 

Alloy for composition tiles : 

Copper 4 ozs. 

Tin 1 " 

Lead 10 dwts. 

Zinc 10 " 

Imitation gold : 

Copper 79 ozs. 17 dwts. 

Zinc ' 85 " 1 

Nickel 9 " 2 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 29 

Clark's patent alloy : 

Copper i oz. 

Spelter i dwts. 22 grs. 

Cobalt 12 " 

Nickel <*$ dwts. 18 " 

Tin 12 " 

Imitation silver — (non-tarnishable) : 

Copper 1 oz. 

Nickel 3 dwts. 12 grs. 

Bismuth 6 " 

Zinc 2 " 12 " 

Soft iron 12 " 

Tin 12 " 

Alluminum alloy : 

Copper 18 dwts. 

Aluminum 2 " 



CHAPTER V. 

HARD ENAMELS. 

1— Flux : 

Red lead 16 ozs. 

Calcined borax 3 " 

Powdered flint glass 12 " 

" flints 4 " 

After fusing for twelve hours reduce to a powder in. a mortar. 

ii. 

Tin 3 ozs. 

Lead 10 " 

Calcine or flux 4 " 

Pure sand or powdered flint . . 4 " 

Sea salt 1 " 

Partially fuse in a crucible. 

III. 

Lead 4 ozs. 

Tin 4 " 

Calcine 1 " 

Flint 1 " 

Carbonate of Potash .... 2 " 
Proceed as above. 

IV. 

Flint glass 3 ozs 

Red Lead 1 " 

Proceed as before. 

V. 

Red lead 18 ozs. 

Borax (not calcined) .... 11 " 

Flint glass 16 " 

Proceed as before. 



Secrets of the Trade. 31 



VI. 

Powdered flint 10 ozs. 

Nitre i " 

White arsenic i " 

In the above formulae, by increasing the quantity of sand, glass or 
flux the enamel is iendered more fusible and the opacity and white- 
ness is increased by the addition of oxide of tin — [putty powder.) 
The use of too much borax is apt to make the enamel effervescent and 
lose its color. 

Black enamel : 

Calcined iron 12 ozs. 

Oxide of cobalt 1 " 

White flux 13 " 

Black enamel : 

Pure clay 3 ozs. 

Protoxide of iron 1 " 

Black enamel : 

Peroxide of manganese ... 3 ozs. 

Zaffre 1 " 

Mix and add as required to white flux. 

Bine enamel: 

White flux 4 ozs. 

Cobalt (oxide) Enough to color. 

Blue enamel : 

Sand, "J 

Red lead, \ 10 ozs. 

Nitre. J 

Flint glass 20 " 

Oxide of cobalt 1 " 

Brown enamel: 

Manganese 5 ozs. 

Red lead 16 " 

Powdered flint 8 " 



32 Secrets of the Trade. 

Brown enamel : 

Manganese 9 ozs. 

Red lead 34 " 

Flint powder 16 " 

Brown enamel : 

Red lead 1 oz. 

Calcined iron 1 " 

Antimony 2 " 

Litharge 2 " 

Sand 2 " 

Add to required amount of white flux. 

Green enamel : 

Flux 2 lbs. 

Copper (black oxide) . . . . 1 oz. 

Green enamel : 

Flux 2 lbs. 

Black oxide copper 1 oz. 

Red oxide iron % drachm. 

Green enamel : 

Copper dust 2 ozs. 

Litharge 2 " 

Nitre 1 " 

Sand 4 " 

Add flux according to depth of colar required. 

Green enamel : 

Flux 4 ozs. 

Oxide of chromium .... Enough to color. 
Produces a dead leaf tinge. 

Light green enamel: 

Flux . 5 ozs. 

Black oxide of copper .... 30 grs. 
Oxide of chromium 2 " 



Secrets of the Tkade. 38 



Green enamel : 

Blue enamel 2 ozs. 

Yellow 2 " 

Olive enamel : 

Blue enamel 2 ozs. 

Black " 1 " 

Yellow " 1 " 

Orange enamel : 

Red lead 12 ozs. 

Red sulphate of iron .... 1 " 

Oxide of antimony 1 " 

Powdered flint 3 " 

Flux 50 " 

Calcine together the flint before adding the flux. 

Grange enamel : 

Red lead 12 ozs. 

Oxide of antimony 4 " 

Powdered flint 3 " 

Red sulphate of iron .... 1 " 

Flux 5 ozs. to every 2 parts of this mixture after calcining. 

Purple enamel : 

Flux 4 ozs. 

Oxide of gold, 1 Enough to color. 

Peroxide of manganese, j & 

Red enamel: 

Flux 4 ozs. 

Red oxide of copper to color. 

Red enamel : 

Flux 4 ozs. 

Color with chloride of gold. 



34 Secrets of the Trade. 

Red enamel : 

Sulphate of iron (calcined 

dark) ioz. 

Flux 6 " 

Colcothar 3 " 

Light red enamel : 

Red sulphate of iron .... 2 ozs. 

Flux 6 " 

White lead 3 " 

Rose enamel : 

Purple enamel 3 ozs. 

Flux 90 " 

Oxide of silver 1 " 

Transparent enamel : 

Flux without coloring matter. 

Violet enamel : 

Purple enamel 2 ozs. 

Red enamel 3 " 

Flux 6 " 

Violet enamel : 

Saline flux ' • 4 ozs. 

Peroxide of manganese enough to color. 

White enamel : 

Calcine (from 2 tin and 1 lead.) 1 oz. 

Fine crystal glass 2 " 

Manganese 6 grs. 

When hotgpour into clean water, then powder and fuse again. 

Crimson enamel : 

Purple cassius 1 oz. 

Flux ' 8 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 35 



White enamel : 

Diaphoretic antimony . . . I oz. 

Fine glass 3 " 

Mix and proceed as before. 

White' enamel : 

Lead 30 ozs. 

Tin 33 " 

Calcine 50 " 

Flint powder 50 " 

Salt of tartar 100 " 

Yellow enamel : 

Flux 4 ozs. 

I'use with oxide of lead and oxide of iron. 

Yellow enamel : 

Lead 1 oz. 

Tin ashes 1 " 

Litharge 1 " 

Antimony 1 " 

Sand 1 " 

Nitre 4 " 

Mix, fuse and powder and add flux enough to reduce color. 

Yellow enamel : 

White oxide of antimony . • 1 oz. 

Alum 1 " 

Salammoniac 1 " 

Pure carbonate of lead ... 2 " 
Fuse to a high enough temperature to fuse the salammoniac. 



CHAPTER VI. 

ELECTRO-PLATING. 

In electro-plating the chief thing is to consider what 
battery to use, as one must be obtained that will give a 
constant current, and which will not need too frequent 
changes of solution. The best battery for this purpose 
is the Daniels battery. The solution for it is cheap, the 
poles or elements being zinc and copper, the zinc being 
the minus or negative pole, the copper the plus or posi- 
tive pole. The article to be plated is always suspended 
on the wire leading from the zinc pole, and on the other- 
wire leading from the copper is suspended the "anode," 
gold, silver or nickel, as the case may be. Great care 
must be exercised to have the work perfectly or chemi- 
cally clean, or failure of the metal to adhere is sure to 
ensue. The work may be effectively cleaned by dipping 
into a boiling solution of caustic potash and then rinsed 
and brushed with bicarbonate of soda or pulverized 
pumice stone. When the wires or binding screws be- 
come corroded or dirty, they must be at once cleaned, 
for the secret of good results is cleanliness. When the 
battery is not in use remove the elements and cover up 
the whole to keep it free from dust. It is not absolutely 
necessary to remove the elements from a Daniels bat- 
tery, as they will last five or six months if never 
touched, but when' not in use it is well to short circuit 



Secrets of the Trade. 37 

the battery, or, in other words, connect the two wires. 
If using- a Bunsen's battery (which is a good one), 
always remove the elements (zinc and carbon), when 
not in use. 

Suppose, for an example, you wish to plate a piece of 
brass or copper work. First dip it into the solution of 
potash, remove and rinse with hot water and brush with 
damp bicarbonate of soda, or, if to be positive of a per- 
fect result, after using the potash you may dip into a 
solution composed of 

Sulphuric acid i drop. 

Nitric acid 25 ozs. 

Salt 1 " 

Remove and rinse, then dip again into a solution of 

Nitrate of mercury 1 oz. 

Sulplruric acid *4 " 

Water 100 " 

which will coat the article with a very thin film of mer- 
cury, to which the plate will readily adhere. Next sus- 
pend the article on the wire leading from the zinc of the 
battery and let it hang in the bath, then immerse your 
piece of pure silver or gold, being suspended from the 
wire leading from the copper of the battery, care being- 
taken not to let the wires touch one another and to 
keep the anode about ten or twelve inches away from 
the articles to be plated. * Proceed at once to set the 
battery in action, and if the solution is in good order 
the plating will at once begin. If it is a silver solution, 



38 Seckets of the Trade. 

the article will become a bluish-white color ; if of gold the 
color will be a dull 3-ellow. For silver allow it to re- 
main in the bath about twenty or thirty minutes, for 
gold a little less. It should then be removed and well 
washed in water, then scratch brushed with a fine brass 
wire brush or burnished with soapy water, as may be 
desired. If the plate should not be thick enough to 
stand these operations it may be put back into the 
bath and allowed to stand for another twenty minutes 
or thereabouts before scratch brushing or burnishing. 
A moderate amount of solution for general work is 
about one gallon, which should be used in a glass, 
wood or porcelain vessel. The anode employed would 
be about 2x4x T \ inches. If the solution is not in 
good order, after being used only a few times it may be 
well filtered and allowed to stand twenty-four hours be- 
fore using again. The scratch brush should revolve 
at a high speed, and a little stale beer should be 
used to keep the article wet. Care should be taken 
to keep the article clear from finger marks, both before 
and after plating. Bloodstone burnishers are prefera- 
ble to steel ones, as they are much smoother and not so 
liable to strip the plating off. 

PL A TING BA THS—SIL VER. 

Silver plating solution : 

Cyanide of potasium .... 6 ozs. 

Nitrate of silver i " 

Distilled water 32 " 

Use with weak battery. 



Secrets of the Trade. 39 

Silver plating solution : 

Nitrate of silver I oz. 

Cyanide of potasium .... 2 " 

Distilled water 12 " 

Use without battery. 

Silver plating powder : 

Chloride of silver 3 ozs. 

Cream of tartar (pulverized) . 20 " 

Cooking salt 15 " 

Mix well and rub on surface to be plated, with a soft cloth. 

Silver plating fluid : 

Nitrate of silver 2 ozs. 

Distilled water 14 " 

Cyanide of potassium .... 4 " 
Use without battery. 

Silver plating solution : 

Nitrate of silver 1 oz. 

Salt 1 " 

Cyanide of potasium . . . . 1 " 2 l / 2 dwts. 

Distilled water 32 " 

Use with battery after 24 hours' standing. 

Silver plating fluid : 

Nitrate silver ....... 1 oz. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 2 " 

Spanish whiting 4 " 

Rain water 10 " 

Apply with soft brush and finish with chamois skin or burnisher. 

Silver plating powder : 

Nitrate of silver 15 grs. 

Tartar 2 drachms. 

Salt 2 

Powdered alum y z " 

Use as above. 



40 Secrets of the Trade. 



Silver plating solution : 

Nitrate of silver J^oz. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 8 " 

Distilled water 32 " 

Use with strong battery. 

Quick-plating silver solution : 

Nitrate of silver 1 oz. 

Distilled water 20 " 

Add enough solution of salammoniac to form a precipitate ; then 
filter and wash the precipitate ; then add 5 dwts. sulphate of soda 
mixed with lime water, then paint article with a brush and rinse in 
in water. 

Silvering powder : 

Chloride of silver 1 oz. 

Pearl ashes 3 " 

Salt 1%" 

Whiting 1 " 

Mix together and apply with a chamois skin. 

Silver plating iron : 

Nitrate of silver 1 oz. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 2 " 
Stilphate of soda . . . . ^ . % " 

Distilled water 12 " 

Use without battery after brass plating the article with following 
bath: (First clean in diluted sulphuric acid). Sulphate of zinc, 1 oz.; 
sulphate of copper, 2 ozs.; cyanide of potassium, 3 ozs.; distilled water, 
12 ozs. 



Silver powder for copper : 

Chloride of silver 4 ozs. 

Cream of tartar 4 " 

Alum 2 „ 

Mix with water to a paste and apply with chamois skin. 



Secrets of the Trade. 41 

Silver plating solution : 

Nitrate of silver i oz. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 4 " 

Distilled water 1 gal. 

Dissolve the nitrate of silver in one quart of water, then pour in it 
a saturated solution of salt, which will immediately precipitate the 
silver. Keep on adding the salt until the silver ceases falling, then 
pour off the fluid, leaving the silver in the bowl. Then wash the 
salt off the silver and add four ounces of cyanide of potassium to it 
(the silver), well mix and put in enoxigh water to make one gallon 
of plating fluid. Finish by filteringthe whole. Use cold with strong 
battery. 



GOLD PL A TING SOL UTIONS. 



1. 

Chloride of gold 2 dwts. 

Cyanide of Potassium .... 2 ozs. 12 pwts. 

Distilled water 64 " 

Use hot with weak battery and 24k anode. 



II. 

Chloride of gold 5 dwts. 

Cyanide of potassium . . . . 1 oz. 2^ dwts. 

Rain water 32 " 

Use hot with battery and gold anode. 



Red «old plating : in. 

Cyanide of Potassium . . . . 1 oz. 

Chloride of gold 15 grs. 

Sulphate of coppor 5 dwts. 

Distilled water 40 ozs. 

Filter the whole well after dissolving and use hot with battery and 
gold anode. 



42 Secrets of the Trade. 



IV. 

Distilled water 4 ozs. 

Chloride of gold 15 grs. 

Carbonate of magnesia ... 1 " 

Tincture of cucuma ... 50 drops. 

Cyanide of potassium . . . . % oz. 
Use while hot ; for a deeper color add sulphate of copper one-half 
grain and tincture of cucuma five drops to every ounce of solution. 
Suspend the article on a clean zinc strip. 



Gold plating fluid : v. 

Distilled water 3 ozs. 

Alcohol 2 " 

Aqua ammonia 1 " 

Sulphate of soda % " 

" " copper . . . . % " 

Chloride of gold 4 grs. 

Use while hot, with zinc as above. 



VI. 

Crystallized phosphate of 

soda 60 ozs. 

Bisulphide of soda 1 " 

Cyanide of potassium . . . . 1 " 

Chloride of gold 2)4 dwts. 

Distilled water 1000 ozs. 

Divide water into three parts — one of 700 and two of 150. Disolve 
sodic phosphate in the first portion, chloride of gold in second, bisul- 
phide of soda and cyanide in the third. Use with weak battery 
and platinum anode. 



VII. 

Distilled water 64 ozs. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 5 " 

Chloride of gold 1 dwt. 

Use warm with battery and gold anode. 



Secrets of the Trade. 43 



VIII. 

To gild small steel articles : 

Chloride of gold 2 dwts. 

Sulphuric ether 3 ozs. 

Allow to stand in corked bottle for twenty four hours, then clean 
article and drip. 

Gold plating powder : 

Chloride of gold 5 dwts. 

Cyanide of potassium .... 2 ozs. 

Rain water 16 " 

Spanish Whiting 1 lb. 

Let the whole evaporate in open air till dry. 

Electro-brass-plating. 

Sodium bicarbonate .... 42 grs. 

Ammonium chloride .... 27 " 

Cyanide of potassium . . . 6% " 

Distilled water 32 ozs. 

From each wire of battery attach a piece of cast brass, and allow 
the current to run for one hour and remove the brass attached t° 
zinc pole and replace with article to be plated. 

To copper plate steel : 

Sulphate of copper ..... 9 grs. 

Chloride of tin 9 " 

Water 28 ozs. 

Use without battery. 

Copper plating : 

Sulphate of copper 4 ozs. 

Sulphuric acid 1 " 

Distilled water 12 ozs. 

Dissolve the sulphate of copper in 8 ozs. of boiling water. When 
cold, add the sulphuric acid and remainder of water. Use cold 
with battery. 

Copper plating : 

Dissolve 1 lb. of sulphate of copper in 2 quarts boiling water. 
When cold add }{ its bulk of sulphuric acid, dissolved in proportion 
of 1 lb. to 5 pints of water. Use as preceding. 



44 Secrets of the Trade. 

NICKEL PLATING SOLUTIONS. 
i. 

Chloride of sine 1% ozs. 

Distilled water ioo " 

Add enough sulphate of nickel to turn the solution green. Use 
while hot and suspend article on a wire for half an hour. 

II. 

Sulphate of nickel 10 ozs. 

Distilled water 128 " 

Ammonia 5 " 

Use with weak battery with nickel anode. 

III. 

Granulated tin 1 oz. 

Tartar '....%" 

Distilled water 16 " 

Heat till boiling, add y 2 oz. of pure red-hot oxide of nickel. For 
copper and brass only. 

IV. 

Sulphate of nickel 2 ozs. 

Distilled water 2 quarts. 

Boil together ; when cold filter and use with strong battery. 



CHAPTER VII. 



CEMENTS. 

Fine cement — (impervious to acids.) 

Pulverized oxide of lead . . i oz. 
Glycerine i " 

Cement for porcelain : 

Fresh cheese 2 ozs. 

Silicate of potassium . . . . 1 " 
Apply immediately. 

Strong; liquid cement : 

Rice (pulverized) 4 ozs. 

Water 6 " 

Mix together cold, add boiling water, then boil for five minutes. 

Glass cement : 

Rubber 1 oz 

Mastic 3 " 

Chloroform 5 " 

Dissolve for three days and then apply, and keep air tight all the 
time. Dries quickly. 

Shellac cement : 

Shellac . 1 oz. 

Alcohol 2 " 

Celluloid cement : 

Shellac 1 oz. 

Spirits of camphor 1 " 

Alcohol 4 " 

Apply warm. 



4G Secrets of the Trade. 



Jeweler's cement : 

Isinglass 2 ozs. 

Gum Arabic 1 " 

Alcohol 1 " 

Cork loosely and boil in a vessel of hot water. Then strain for 
use. 

Lathe cements : 

Shellac 8 ozs. 

Ultramarine (bine) y z " 

Common cement: 

Resin 4 ozs. 

Brick dust 4 " 

Common black cement: 

Resin 2 ozs. 

Brick dust 2 " 

Lamp black 2 " 

Second-hand-dial cement: 

Plaster of Paris (pulverized . 4 ozs. 

White glue . 3 " 

Hardens in 24 hours. 

Transparent cement— (diamond . ) 

Chloroform 12 drachms. 

Caoutchouc (non-vulcanized.). \2]/ 2 " 

Mastic iYz " 

Allow to stand nine days, shaking continually. 

Metal cement : 

Caustic soda 1 oz. 

Resin 3 " 

Water 5 " 

Plaster of Paris 4^ " 

Hardens in thirty minutes. 



Secrets of the Trade. 47 



Metal cement : 

Litharge 2 ozs. 

White lead ..." I " 

Boiled linseed oil 3 " 

Gum copal 1 " 

Use immediately. 

Common engraver's cement : 

Pitch 4 ozs. 

Resin 4 " 

Shellac 1 " 

Rubber cement : 

Shellac (pulverized) .... 1 oz. 
Spirits of ammonia .... 10 " 
Ready for use after three days. 

Impervious cement : 

Litharge 5 ozs. 

White sand 3 " 

Plaster of Paris ...... 3 " 

Resin (pulverized) 1 " 

Boiled linseed oil (with driers) enough to make a paste. Use after 
five hours. Keep air tight. 

Acid-proof cement : 

Rubber 2 ozs. 

Linseed oil 4 " 

Add enough white bolus to make up a consistency. 

• 

Fire proof cement : 

Pulverized asbestos .... 2 ozs. 
Waterglass ^2 " 

Mix well. 

1 — Alabaster cement : 

Dip broken edges into melted alum and join together quickly. 



48 Secrets of the Trade. 



2— Alabaster cement : 

Yellow resin, j Mek t thei 2 ozs _ each# 
Beeswax, j ° 
Gypsum 2 ozs. 



Amber cement : 

Gum Arbaic (liquid) 1 oz. 

Plaster of Paris ....... 1% " 

Use at once and let article stand for 12 hours. 

Watch glass cement : 

Gum Arabic y/2 ozs. 

Crystallized sugar 1% " 

Distilled water 2 " 

Dissolve by gently heating. 

Engraver's cement : 

Beeswax 2 ozs. 

Pitch 4 " 

Tallow 2 " 



Silver and gold-colored cement : 

Shellac 10 ozs. 

Venetian turpentine .... 3^ " 
Bronze (gold or silver) .... 1 " 
First melt shellac and then add the remainder. 



Colorless cement : 

Isinglass 2 ozs. 

Alcohol . . ( 2 " 

Gum ammonia 10 grs. 

Gum mastic 6 drops. 

Soften the isinglass with water first. 

Chaser's cement : 

Pitch 4 ozs. 

Resin 4 " ' 

Brick dust 2 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 49 

Engravers, cement : 

Pitch 4 ozs. 

Resin 4 " 

Plaster of Paris 2 " 

Beeswax 2 " 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PICKLES, SOLDERING SOLUTIONS, ETC. 

Silver pickle : 

Sulphuric acid i oz. 

Water 10 " 

Use boiling in copper pan. 

Gold pickle : 

Nitric acid i oz. 

Water 8 " 

Use boiling as above. 

Pickle for tarnish : 

Cyanide of potassium . ... i oz. 
Water 8 " 

Pickle for brass : 

Oxalic acid I oz. 

Water 3 " 

Strong cleaning pickle : 

Sulphuric acid 2 ozs. 

Nitric acid 1 '' 

Water 8 " 

Use while hot. 

Pickle to remove dirt : 

Nitric acid 10 ozs. 

Sulphuric acid 2 " 

Salt 1 " 

Boil and dip articles quickly, then rinse well. 



Secrets of the Trade. 51 



Brass pickle : 

Sulphuric acid )4 oz. 

Nitric acid i " 

Dip article and rinse well. 

Soft soldering fluid : 

Muriatic acid 3 ozs. 

Zinc i " 

Non-corrosive soldering fluid : 

Muriatic acid 2 ozs. 

Zinc % Yz " 

Spirits of ammonia j£ " 

Rain water 2)4 " 

Soft soldering fluid : 

Muriatic acid 3 ozs. 

Zinc i)4 " 

Salammoniac 6o " 

Rain water 1)4 " 

Non-corrosive soldering fluid : 

Lactic acid i oz. 

Glycerine i " 

Water 8 " 

Non-corrosive soldering fluid : 

Chloride of zinc i oz. 

Alcohol 3 " 

Pickle to remove blue from steel : 

Muriatic acid 4 ozs. 

Elixir vitriol 4 " 

Pickle for removing grease : 

Potash I ft). 

Water 2 gal. 

Spirits of ammonia 2 ozs. 

Use boiling. 



2 Secrets of the Trade. 



Pickle to remove tarnish : 

Cyanide of potassium .... i oz. 
Rain water I pint. 

Pickle to remove soft solder : 

Spirits of salts. 

Pickle to remove enamel : 

Fluor spar (pulverized) ... 3 ozs. 

Sulphuric acid 5 " 

Boil the article. 

Hard soldering solution : 

Borax I oz. 

Alcohol • 4 " 

Pickle for frosting : 

Salt ^oz. 

Saltpetre 4 '' 

Sulphuric acid ... • . . . 8 " 
Coarseness of frosting depends on quantity of salt. 

Brass cleaning pickle : 

Sulphuric acid 2 ozs. 

Nitre i>£ " 

Saltpetre 1 drachm. 

Rain water 2 ozs. 

Pickle for frosting silver : 

Sulphuric acid 1 drachm. 

Rain water 4 ozs. 

Heat the solution and immerse until frosted as desired. 

Pickle for tinging silver like gold : 

Sulphuric acid . . • . . . . 1 oz. 

Water • • 20 " 

Iron rust 3 " 

Steep until article is colored. 



Secrets of the Trade. 53 

Pickle to polish brass : 

Sulphuric acid 2 ozs. 

Bicromate of potash .... 1 " 

Distilled water 3 " 

Dip, rinse and polish with rotten stone. 

To remove tarnish from gilding : 

Common alum 2 ozs. 

Soft water 6 " 

Dip, remove, rinse and dry in sawdust. 

Pickle to frost watch plates : 

Nitric acid . 2^ ozs. 

Muriatic acid . 2 " 

Dip quickly, rinse and scratch brush. 

To restore pearls. 

Caustic potash 2 ozs. 

Water 5 " 

Chalk enough to form a paste. 
Place the pearls in a muslin bag and suspend into the warm paste. 

Pickle to clean metal dials. 

Cyanide of potassium . . . . 1 oz. 

Rain water (hot) 32 " 

Ammonia 2 " 

Alcohol Yz " 

Dip article and rinse in hot water. Then wash with soap and 
water, and dry in hot sawdust. 

Pickle to restore nickel movements : 

Alcohol 25 ozs. 

Sulphuric acid ^ " 

Nitric acid % " 

Dip for ten seconds, remove and rinse in cold water, afterwards 
dip in alcohol and dry. 



54, Secrets of the Trade. 

Pickle to remove oxydize : 

Sulphuric acid i oz. 

Water 30 " 

Anneal the work and boil. 

Pickle to remove oxydize : 

Sulphuric acid 5 ozs. 

Nitric acid 2]/ 2 " 

Muriatic acid 2 drachms. 

Water 5 " 

Use cold and immerse for a few second. 

Pickle to strip silver plate: 

1. 

Sulphuric acid 3 ozs. 

Nitric acid j4 " 

Boil the mixture in crucible and dip the articles in perfectly dry 
and keep withdrawing, etc., to ascertain the progress made. 

II. 

Sulphuric acid 8 ozs. 

Saltpetre 2 " 

Heat the acid and add the saltpetre, and suspend the work for a 
short time. If not active enough, keep adding small pieces of salt- 
petre until the desired effect is obtained. 

PICKLES FOR D1SSOL VING METALS. 

Silver : 

Nitric acid 4 ozs. 

Water 2 " 

Silver alloys : 

Nitric acid 2 ozs. 

Water 4 " 

Silver solder : 

Nitric acid 2 ozs. 

Water 8 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 55 

Copper : 

Nitric acid 2 ozs. 

Water 8 " 

Soft solder : 

Perchloride of iron 2 ozs. 

Water 8 " 

To dissolve soft solder : 

Protosulphate of iron .... 2 ozs. 

Nitrate of potassium .... 1 " 

Water 10 " 

Boil in iron dish and let cool, and remove the crystals which ap- 
pear. Then dissolve them in muriatic acid. (1 oz. crystal to 1 oz. 
acid). Then add 4 ozs. water and heat with gas, and keep work in 
while hot. 



CHAPTER IX. 

OXYDIZES AND COLORINGS. 
I. 

Oxydes for silver— slate color : 

Sulphuret of potassium ... 2 oz. 

Water 16 " 

Salammoniac '•.•}£'" 

Immerse work while boiling. 

II. 

Sulphate of copper 1 oz. 

Salammoniac 2 " 

Vinegar 6 " 

Use warm. 

in.— (Black.) 

Sulphate of sodium .... 1 oz. 

Water 6 " 

Use hot. 

iv.— (For plated goods.) 

Salammoniac 2 ozs. 

Sulphate of copper 2 " 

Saltpetre 1 " 

Acetic acid (vinegar) .... 10 " 
Use hot. 

v.— (Brown.) 

Salammoniac 2 ozs. 

Blue vitriol 2 " 

Vinegar 8 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 57 

Anti-oxydizer : 

Borax 2 ozs. 

Yellow oclire 1 " 

Boil together with water. 

Anti-oxydize : 

Yellow ochre 4 ozs. 

Boracic acid 1 " 

Well mix with boiling water and boil for one hour. Use cold with 
brush. 

Violet oxydize for brass : 

Chloride of antimony ... 2 ozs. 

Distilled water 6 " 

Clean the article with bicarbonate of soda, heat it gently and im- 
merse in the solution. 

1 — Black oxydize for brass : 

Sulphurized natron .... 1 oz. 

Copper vitriol 2 " 

Water (pure) 100 " 

Use hot. 

2 — Black oxydize for brass : 

Sulphurized natron 1 oz. 

Copper vitriol 3^ " 

Water 100 " 

Use hot. 

3 — Dark, for brass : 

Sulphurized natron .... 2 ozs. 
Sulphuret of potassium ... 1 " 

Copper vitriol 3 " 

Water 100 " 

Use hot. 

Oxydize for silver : 

Sulphuret of ammonia ... 1 oz. 
Hot water 1 pint. 



58 Secrets of the Trade. 

Oxydize for .silver without immersing : 

Chloride of platinum .... i oz. 

Sulphuric ether 2 ozs. 

Apply with camel hair brush. 

Black oxydize for silver : 

Saltpetre 2 ozs. 

Salt 1 " 

Muriatic acid I " 

Use with brush. 

Blue oxydize for silver : 

Burn a piece of sulphur in a porcelain vessel and suspend the ar- 
ticle, after well polishing, over the fumes. The parts not to be 
Oxidized are to be coated with a resist varnish. During the process 
keep the fumes covered up. 

Bright black oxydize for silver : 

Bromine 5 grs. 

Bromide of potassium . . . 5 dwts. 

Water 10 ozs. 

Use hot in porcelain vessel and polish with rouge after oxydiziug 
to required color. 

Color for niekle and copper : 

Lead acetate 300 grs. 

Hyposulphite of soda .... 600 " 

Water 32 ozs. 

Dissolve first, then boil. The aiticla will change (if copper) 
eleven different colors, from gray to blue, according to the number 
of times it is dipped in the solution. Niekle takes 8 colors. 

Color for Etruscan gold work.— For 6 ozs. of work. 

Saltpetre 8 ozs. 

Salt 8 " 

Muriatic acid 6 " 

Rain water 2 " 

Mix well the saltpetre and water and when hot add the acid. Sus- 
pend article 011 a silver wire and immerse for three minutes, then 
take them out and rinse well. If necessary, immerse again for half 
a minute and rinse. Articles to be annealed black before coloring. 



Secrets of the Trade. 59 



American color : 

Saltpetre 8 ozs. 

Salt 4 " 

Muriatic acid 2 " 

Salammoniac ' . . 4 " 

Rain water 2 " 

Proceed as above. 

Bronze color for any metal : 

Aniline red 10 ozs. 

purple 5 " 

Alcohol (95 per cl.) 100 " 

Warm carefully and add 5 ozs. bronzoic acid, boil well and apply 
with brush. 

-v 

To color brass gray : 

Carbonate of copper .... 2 ozs. 

Ammonia (liquid) 6 " 

Clean article and immerse in the solution. 

To color marble : 

Blue — Solution of blue litmus. 
Yellow — Tincture of gamboge. 
Red — -Dragon's blood (alkaiet.) 
Crimson — Alkanet and turptsitine. 
Pink — Wax with turpentine. 
Brown — Tincture of logwood. 

Gold — Verdigris, 1 oz.; Salammoniac, 1 oz.; sulphate of 
zinc, 1 oz. Reduce to powder. 

Gold color for brass : 

Caustic soda 2 ozs. 

Milk sugar 2 " 

Distilled water 50 " 

Sulphate of copper (solution). 2 " 
Boil the first three for 15 minutes, then add sulphate of copper, 
constantly stirring. Use very hot, though not boiling. 



00 Secrets of the Trade. 

To color aluminum : 

Hydrofluoric acid i oz. 

Aqua fortis i " 

Rain water 12 " 

Drip the article a short time. 

Lacquer for brass : 

Sandarac 6 ozs. 

Mastic 3 " 

Elemi 1 

Venetian turpentine . . . . l / z 

Alcohol 32 

Clean the article well and warm it. 

Lacquer for silverware : 

Alcohol 10 ozs. 

Collodion 4 " 

Paint with a fine brush and it will dry at once. It can, if neces- 
sary, be removed with hot water. 

To color clock hands red : 

Carmine 1 oz. 

Chloride of silver 1 " 

Tinners' japan y 2 " 

Use warm. Apply this to the hands and place them on a copper 
plate, face up, and gently heat. 

To black clock hands : 

Paint them with a fine brush with asphaltum varnish. 

Lacquer for brass : 

Gamboge 2 ozs. 

Shellac 2 " 

Alcohol 8 " 

Color to suit with alkanet. 

Blue coating for steel : 

. Dip in a solution of nitrate of potash. 



Secrets of the Trade. 61 



To blacken steel or iron : 

Sulphur I oz. 

Oil of turpentine 10 " 

Boil together and apply to metal, then heat the metal until it turns 
a fine black. 

To bronze metals : 

Pulverized verdigris .... 500 grs. 
" salammoniac . . 475 " 

Strong vinegar 160 " 

Water 2 liters. 

Boil in a copper vessel and remove with wooden spoon. 

To copper coat soft solder: 

Nitric acid l /z oz. 

Water 1 " 

Copper }i " 

When copper has dissolved, the solution is ready for use. Apply 
with a brush and touch article with a steel wire. 

II. 

Sulphate of copper (pulver- 
ized) 1 oz. 

Water 6 " 

Treat as above. 



CHAPTER X. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Powder for cleaning,' silverware : 

Rouge i oz. 

Prepared chalk i " 

Mix well. Use dry with chamois leather. 

Powder for cleaning silver and gold : 

Rock alum (pulverized) ... 5 ozs. 

Powdered chalk 1 " 

Mix and apply with a dry brush. 

Solution for cleaning silverware : 

Hyposulphate of soda . . . . 2 ozs. 
Water 3 " 

Use with a soft cloth. 

To clean files : 

Brush well with benzole. 

To clean precious stones : 

Precipitated sulphur .... 1 oz. 

Spirits of wine X " 

Rub with solt cloth. 

To harden steel tools : 

Heat the article to a white heat and thrust into sealing wax. Then 
withdraw and repeat the operation until cold. Excellent for gravers 
and drills. 

To mark name on tools : 

Cover the steel with a thin layer of wax and scratch name through 
the wax. Then cover with nitric acid and allow to remain a few 
minutes, rinse in water and remove the wax. 



Secrets of the Trade. 63 



To remove acids from cloths: 

Dampen with concentrated spirits of ammonia. 

Burnishing powder : 

Prepared chalk 4 ozs. 

Pipe clay 1 " 

White lead 1 " 

Carbonate of magnesia . . . % " 
Rouge 6 " 

To clean brushes : 

Wash in a solution of strong soda, rinse well and let dry. 

To make a grindstone more effective : 

Apply some common carbolic acid. 

To clean gypsum figures: 

Caustic potash 3 ozs. 

Hot water 36 " 

Steric acid 9 " 

Mix together and dissolve in 

Water 21 " 

Alcohol 21 " 

To brighten dull gold : 

Calcium hypochlorite .... 80 grs. 

Sodium bicarbonate 80 " 

Sodium chloride 20 " 

Distilled water 3 quarts. 

Immerse article and rinse in water. 

To glaze dials : 

White shellac (bleached) . . % oz. 
Alcohol 4 " 

To glaze steel blue : 

Damar varnish 8 ozs. 

Prussian blue 54 drachm. 



64 Secrets of the Trade. 

To clean gilt articles : 

Chloride of lime t>% dwts. 

Bicarbonate of soda .... 31/3 " 
Salt 1 " 

To clean movements : 

Remove all screws and other steel parts. Then immerse in a weak 
solution of oxalic acid and water, withdraw and then immerse in a 
cyanide pickle, rinse and dry in sawdust. 

To clean nickel plates : 

Wash the plates with soap and water, then immerse in a cyanide 
pickle, rinse and dry in sawdust. * 

To make prepared chalk : 

Powdered chalk, 2 lbs., rain water, 1 gal. Stir well and let stand 
three minutes, then pour off the water into another vessel and let 
settle again. This will be prepared chalk after it is thoroughly 
dried. 

To whiten silver : 

Anneal the article and let it grow cold, then allow it to stand for 
one hour in a pickle composed of ten drops of sulphuric acid to two 
ozs. water. 

To make dia man tine: 

Boric acid 25 ozs. 

Aluminum 20 " 

Melt together until crystallized. 

To flatten hair spings : 

Remove the collet and stud, then place the spring between two 
copper surfaces about the size of a cent, then put the whole on a 
blueing pan, and also lay by its side a small piece of polished steel, 
then heat, and when the steel turns blue the work is done. 

To pivot staffs and pinions: 

Drill into the end of the staff or pinion, then insert a piece of 
steel to fit, turn it down to the desired diameter and polish with bell- 
metal and oilstone powder. Finish with boxwood and lime. 



Secrets of the Trade. 65 

To drill hard steel. 

Make the drill oval in form, then temper as hard as possible. 
Roughen the surface to be drilled with nitric acid and then drill. 
When drilling ceases roughen again with nitric acid. Use turpen- 
tine as a lubricator. 

To polish steel flat : 

Roller tables, collets, etc., are rubbed on glass plates with fine emery 
and oil, then finish on a zinc block with diamantine and alcohol. 

To lengthen ancre escapement levers : 

Cut across with a screwhead file just back of the fork as deep as 
possible without injury. A thin point is then left standing, which 
is then gently bent forward the required distance. This is the quick- 
est process of bringing the point of the lever closer to the roller. 

To replace teeth in wheels : 

Drill down the plate of the wheel where the old tooth was for- 
merly placed, then tap the hole and screw in apiece of threaded wire, 
with a shoulder on it like a screw, shape the tooth to match the re- 
mainder of teeth. 

Oil for stones : 

Glycerine 3 ozs. 



Alcohol 



To polish steel : 

Rub article on glass with oilstone powder and oil. Next rub on 
glass and diamantine and a little oil. Finish on boxwood with lime 
and alcohol. 

To lessen diameter of watch glass : 

Place on a marble slab a piece of fine emery paper and rub down 
the glass on its surface, keeping it continually revolving. After 
having reduced it, rub on the plain marble, with rottenstone. Then 
finish with oxide of tin with alcohol. 

To fasten ruby pins : 

Use asphaltum varnish instead of shellac. It is not so brittle as 
shellac, though infinitely stronger. Dries in a few minutes. 



6G Secrets of the Trade. 



Soldering set-rings : 

Wrap the ring in wet tissue paper, leaving the broken place ex- 
posed, and solder quickly. 

Diamond test : 

When looking through a stone at a needle point hole in a card, if 
it appears double it is not genuine, as imitation diamonds or color- 
less stones refract double. 

To clean oil stones : 

Let it soak for two days in benzine until all the old oil is soaked 
out, then use with pure glycerine and alcohol. 

To fasten roller jewels : 

Place jewel in the hole with a small grain of shellac, warm very 
gently, and the roller is then secured. 

To anneal polished steel and save its polish : 

Cover the article with grease from the oilstone and anneal with a 
blowpipe, then clean with benzine. 

To bend tempered steel . 

Hold in two pairs of pliers over an alcohol flame, and bend as it is 
turning a straw color. 

To write in silver : 

Pewter or tin i oz. 

Mercury 2 ozs. 

Mix with gum water and then write with quill pen. 

To whiten silver dials : 

Anneal in a copper pan and boil it out in a weak sulphuric pickle, 
rinse well and dry in sawdust. 

To temper drills : 

Heat to a cherry red and no higher, then thrust into mercury. 



Secrets of the Trade. 67 

To test the fineness of jewels : 

Lay the jewel on charcoal and heat to a cherry red. If the jewel 
is not perfect and of the correct .density, impurities will appear, 
which maybe seen by the aid of the lens. 

To bleach ivory white : 

Place the article under a glass cover, wherein is placed a mixture 
of chloride of lime, 2 ozs., and muriatic acid, 1 oz. Don't inhale the 
vapor, as it is poisonous. This will restore it to original color. 

To blue screws : 

Secure an old watch barrel and drill it full of holes ; fill it with 
brass or copper filings, then replace the cap of barrel, place in the 
screws from the outside, leaving the heads exposed. Heat the 
whole over an alcohol flame until the required color is obtained. 

To clean clocks : 

Remove the escapement, place in a deep dish with enough gaso- 
line to cover the movement, then wind and let run down two or 
three times, wash the escapement and replace. Let it well dry after 
rinsing in water 1 pint, alcohol 2 ozs., then oil with good clock oil. 

To close a seam in coral : 

Heat the article gently and apply watch oil to the crack. It will 
then be closed when cold. 

To tinge soft solder : 

Prepare a heavy solution of sulphate of copper and apply with a 
pencil to soldered spot. Then touch it with an iron wire and it will 
become coppered. If a yellow color is desired add to the above so- 
lution sulphate of zinc. 

To demagnetize small steel articles : 

Cement article to a small wooden chuck fastened in a lathe and re- 
volve rapidly, hold a magnet within half an inch and draw it away 
gradually to about fifteen inches and the work is done. 

To remove cement : 

Place the article in naptha and let remain for twenty minutes, or 
place in warm turpentine. 



68 Secrets of the Trade. 

To remove temper without spoiling* polish : 

Enclose articles in a brass cylinder of convenient size with a close- 
fitting plug, previously filled with brass filings. Heat to cherry red 
and let it cool gradually. 

To drill enamel dials : 

Drill with hard drill moistened with turpentine and camphor. 

Ivory etching : 

Cover the ivory with thin coating of beeswax, then trace the de- 
sired figure on the wax and pour over this a strong solution of 
nitrate of silver. Let it remain a few minutes in a good light, then 
wash with warm water. 

To grind watch plates : 

After roughening the surface of a piece of glass on a grindstone, 
use fine emery with soap while grinding the plates down on it. 

Staff measuring : 

Remove both end-stones, replace the cock securely, then with a 
degree gauge, measure from the outside of one hole-jewel to that of 
the other, and to this add the necessary end-shake. This will be 
correct measurement. 

To test silver : 

File the article a little to remove the surface and apply nitric 
acid. If it boils green and after washing off leaves a gray mark it is 
silver. If, on the contrary, it leaves a bright mark it is not silver. 

Test for gold : 

Mix i oz. of C. P. nitric acid with two drops of muriatic acid, which 
will discolor anything under 16 karat gold 

To polish jewel settings : 

First use a piece of ground glass with rottenstone and oil, finish 
-on boxwood with diamantine and alcohol. 

To keep rust off hairsprings : 

Paint the paper parcel on the outside with very little olive oil. 



Secrets of the Trade. 69 

To make plating adhere: 

First clean in caustic potash and rinse, then in a solution of sul- 
phuric acid, i drop, nitric acid, 25 ozs., common salt, 1 oz. Remove 
and rinse and dip in a solution of nitrate of mercury, 1 oz., water, 100 
ozs., sulphuric acid, ^ oz. 

To prevent steel rusting : 

Melt a small quantity of white wax in benzine and paint with 
a camel hair brush. 

To remove name from dials : 

With a copper burnisher use diamond dust and oil. When name 
is erased polish with more oil and less diamond dust. 

To remove rust from pinions : 

Scour with oilstone, powder and oil, then polish with crocus and 
alcohol on a piece of pegwood. 

To remove rust from steel pieces : 

Use fine emery and oil or fine emery paper and oil and finish with 
lime and boxwood. 

To remove stains from dials : 

Apply nitric acid with tissue paper, being careful to wash thor- 
oughly afterwards. 

To make ivory flexible : 

Immerse in a solution of phosphoric acid (1.13) until it loses its 
opacity. Rinse in cold water. 

To solder stay-springs : 

Fasten to a piece of charcoal and use plenty of borax, then pro- 
ceed to solder with a piece of brass, silver or 18k gold. After sol- 
dering temper in the usual manner. 

To clean watch movements : 

Wash the movement in soapy water, then dip in a cyanide pickle, 
rinse and dry in sawdust. 



70 Secrets of the Trade. 

To weaken a hair spring : 

Place it on a ground glass plate and moisten with oilstone powder 
and alcohol and rub it flat by means of a smooth cork, until the de- 
sired weakness is abtained, rinse in alcohol and dry. 

To temper clicks, ratchets, etc. : 

Heat to a cherry red and dip at once into mercurial ointment. 

To temper staffs, cylinders, pinions, etc. : 

Enclose articles in a brass cylinder, plug tightly, heat to a cherry 
red and plunge into water. Remove, polish and draw to a blue. 

To make a diamond lap or file : 

Prepare a plain brass wheel of convenient size, sprinkle on it some 
fine diamond dust and hammer it in with a smooth-faced hammer. 
Then burnish it well. 

To make a diamond broach : 

Prepare a brass broach, dip the point in" oil and then diamond 
dust. Hammer it gently until the dust disapperas. Burnish if ne- 
cessary. 

To make a polishing broach : 

Obtain a piece of ivory the desired size, dip it in oil and then 
diamond dust and proceed to polish. 

To remove quicksilver from jewelry : 

Anneal the work gently and boil it out in a sulphuric pickle and 
repeat if necessary. 

To stain clock cases : 

Infuse nut galls in vinegar in which rusty nails have been soaked. 
Then apply and let dry. 

Paste for cleaning brass : 

Oxalic acid i oz. 

Rottenstone 6 " 

Turpentine 2 " 

Train oil 2 " 



Secrets of the Trade. 71 



To polish tortoise shell : 

Rub with a cloth on which is used a paste of rottenstone and water 
or use oxide of tin with water. 

Imitation of ground glass : 

Sulphate of soda 2 ozs. 

Beer 16 " 

Apply with a brush, and after dry wash clean. 

To polish stones : 

Grind first on a fine grindstone, then rub with powdered pumice 
and finish with oxide of tin on leather. 

Lathe oil : 

Sperm oil 1 oz. 

Kerosene oil 4 " 

Powder to clean jewelry : 

Saltpetre 20 ozs. 

Salammoniac i)/ z " 

Muriatic acid 15 " 

Alum . 10 " 

Pulverized together and apply with a wet cloth. 

i 

To ebonize clock cases : 

Logwood chips 8 ozs. 

Copperas y 2 " 

Boil the logwood in one gallon of water for half an hour and then 
add the copperas. Apply while hot. Give three coats. 

To solder set rings : 

i. 

Fill a teacup with wet sand and bury the stone in it. Solder 
quickly. 

II. 

Wrap the stone in wet tissue paper and solder on charcoal, with 
the ring standing up. 



72 Secrets of the Trade. 

To clean files : 

First clean with potash and water, then dip in a solution com- 
posed of 

Water 8 ozs. 

Sulphuric acid 3 " 

Nitric acid 1 " 

Oil well after rinsing. 

To straighten pivots : 

Remove the temper, fasten the staff in the lathe while revolving 
and press gently into a hole in a brass plate about the size of the 
pivot, holding it at right angles to the pivot. Then remove, tem- 
per and polish. 

To resharpen files : 

First clean in warm potash, then rinse and dry. Then dip quick- 
ly in nitric acid and wipe off the acid with a piece of rag wound on a 
stick. This will leave the acid between the teeth, which will eat 
deeper into the file. 

To temper case-springs: 

First heat to a cherry red, then dip in water, polish well and draw 
the temper to a blue. After the third blueing the spring will be in 
proper condition. 

To polish pivots : 

Turn the pivot down until it fits the jewel tightly, then dress down 
with bell metal and rouge and polish with boxwood and lime, 
moistened with alcohol. 

To clean plaster ornaments : 

Coat the article with a paste made of starch and let it dry. When 
thoroughly dry chip it off and the dirt will come with it. 

Powder to clean plates : 

Prepared chalk 2 ozs. 

Rouge 1 " 

Rottenstone V> " 



Secrets of the Trade. 73 

Plate-cleaning powder : 

Paris white 16 ozs. 

Carbonate of ammonia ... i " 

Water 4 " 

Mix well and apply with chamois skin. 

To retain polish on metals : 

Wax paraffine 1 oz. 

Petroleum 3 " 

Melt wax and let cool, then add petroleum. Apply with a soft 
brush. 

Resist varnish : 

Resin 2 ozs. 

Turpentine 4 " 

To give different shades add red lead, chrome yellow or Prussian 
blue. 

Plate-cleaning powder : 

Whiting 4 ozs. 

White oxide of tin 2 " 

Calcined hartshorn 2 " 

Reduce to powder and apply with chamois skin. 

Solution for testing silverwares : 

Nitric acid 6 ozs. 

Water 2 " 

Bichromate of potash .... 1 " 
Reduce the potash to a powder and well mix with the acid and 
water and use cold. Keep in glass-stoppered test bottle. File the 
surface of article first, then apply. If it leaves a blood-red spot it is 
pure silver ; on German silver it leaves a brown spot ; on Britannia 
metal a black spot ; on platinum there is no action, and other metals 
it leaves various colors. 

Acid to test gold : 

Nitric acid 2 ozs. 

Muriatic acid 1 scruple. 

Water 4 drachms. 

File the article and touch with acid. If it is over 9k gold there 
will be no effect, but if a lower grade the acid will boil green. If 
gold be allo3 T ed with silver the mark will be of a paler color. 



74 Secrets of the Trade. 



To renovate tarnished gold : 

i. 

Bicarbonate of soda .... 2 ozs. 

Salt 1 " 

Chloride of lirne 1 " 

Distilled water 16 " 



II. 

Sesquioxide of iron .... 3 ozs. 

Calcined borax 2 " 

Chloride of ammonia . . . . 1 " 

Water 2 " 

Well mix to a paste and apply with a brush, and afterwards heat 
gently in a copper pan. 

To test gold over 18k: 

Muriatic acid 4 ozs. 

Nitric acid 2 " 

Water 2 " 

Salt % " 

Apply with glass stopper. Will tarnish anything below i8k. - 

To polish jewel holes : 

Polish the hole with a copper broach, oiled and dipped into dia- 
mautine, working gently into the jewel hole, the same as if using a 
brass one. 

To prevent iron and steel from rusting : 

Boiled linseed oil 1 litre. 

Brown varnish 2 " 

Turpentine X " 

Camphor 45 grains. 

Stir well with a wooden stick, boil the solution and allow the arti- 
cle to remain in for a short time. 

To satin watch plates : 

Procure a fine steel-wire swing scratchbrush and revolve at 
a high speed. Apply the plates jently, keeping them well moistened 
with stale beer or potash water. 



Secrets of the Trade. 75 

To grind stones and glass : 

Use a fine corundum wheel, running at high speed, and keep well 
moistened with carbolic acid. Grind on the side of wheel. 

Good paste for polishing nickel : 

Lard or tallow 3 ozs. 

Flour emery 6 " 

Melt the lard or tallow and mix in the emery to the consistency of 
a stiff paste. 

To prevent rivets cracking : 

When riveting any metal pin or staff, if the head has a tendency to 
crack, keep it moist with some thick oil and continue hammering. 



CHAPTER XI. 

REFINING. 

What is meant by refining is to render alloys of met- 
als to their pure state, each independently, and it is ac- 
complished by either of the following means, i. e.', acids 
and fusion. 

It is very essential and economical for all small or 
large jobbers and manufacturers to carefully preserve 
their floor sweeps, polishings, old crucibles, waste 
waters, etc., in a separate compartment, expressly for 
that purpose, and let accumulate until sufficient quan- 
tity has been obtained to allow the process of refining. 
Jobbers who are not equipped for this work can always 
obtain refiner's value by sending it to any of the leading 
refiners and smelters, which, in case of large quantities 
would be highly advisable. In such case we can cheer- 
fully and highly recommend Messrs. L. Lelong & Bro., 
corner of Marshall and Halsey streets, Newark, N. J., 
as being well equipped for such work, and will, to our 
knowledge, give full value and satisfaction on receipt of 
of freight or express, guaranteeing promptness and at- 
tention. 

We will now describe the two methods of re- 
fining which we would highly recommend as being prac- 
ticed by us in our factory and school, after saying a few 
words about waste waters. 



Secrets of the Trade. 77 



WASTE WATERS. 

The precious metals in waste waters are collected in 
the following manner : Obtain three good barrels and 
place them side by side. The first two must be con- 
nected with a piece of piping, about six or eight inches 
from the top, also a piece of piping connecting the sec- 
ond with the third. The bottom of the third barrel is 
to be drilled with holes of about one-fourth of an inch 
diameter, and filled about half full with common saw- 
dust. The action then is as follows : All the water, 
pickle, waste colors, etc., coming directly from the sink 
or place where they are used enter in the first bar- 
rel from the top. When that barrel is as full as the 
overflow pipe will allow, it passes into the second bar- 
rel, therefore naturally leaving a great portion of the 
sediment at the bottom. The same happens in the sec- 
ond barrel when, after it is full, it passes into the third, 
where it is well filtered through the sawdust, and passes 
out lastly as clear water. In the three barrels may be 
added occasionally a little proto-sulphate of iron or 
oxalic acid, which will have the effect of immediately 
precipitating any metallic forms in the waters to the 
bottom. It is best to dissolve the proto-sulphate of 
iron (green copperas), in hot water. After the barrels 
have stood for six months, or thereabouts, the water 
may be drawn off with a syphon, and the sediments of 
the three tubs are placed with the floor sweepings, etc., 
or future refining:. 



78 Secrets of the Trade. 

to refine floor sweeps, etc. 
Place the sweeps, etc.; in an iron box with a cover and 
burn them in a furnace for ten hours, which will reduce 
their bulk and free it from all organic matter. It should 
then be melted as follows : Take, 

Sweeps, etc 16 ozs. 

Carbonate of potash 8 

Salt . 4 

Salammoniac 2 

Or— 

Sweeps, etc 8 

Salt 4 

Pearl ash 4 

Red tartar I 

Saltpetre y 2 

Place it all together in a large refiner's crucible and 
melt down into a button. When in a fused condition 
more of the sweeps may be added from time to time 
until the crucible will hold no more. If the first of the 
above formulae is used, occasionally add a little salt- 
petre as the process continues, and if it has a tendency 
to boil over, a little salt should be at once thrown in. 
Allow the whole to cool and then break the crucible at 
the bottom and extract the button of metal, which will 
consist of silver and gold. It must then be treated 
as follows : Melt this in a new crucible with borax or 
potash, and while in a molten state pour it into a ves- 
sel of water from a height of six or eight feet. This pro- 
cess granulates the metal, which is treated thus: To 
every ounce of metal add nitric acid 1 oz., and 



Secrets of the Trade. 79 

water 2 ozs., and allow to stand for several hours. 
Then heat the whole gently, after which all but the gold 
will be dissolved, the gold alone remaining in the form 
of a dark brown pow'der. The liquid is then removed, 
which contains the silver, and fresh nitric acid is then 
added to the gold and heated again. After the acid has 
ceased to act the gold remains pure, which should be 
well washed in hot water and melted for use. If a sheet 
of copper is then introduced into the liquid containing 
silver, it will be immediately precipitated upon it, and 
can afterwards be scraped off and melted for use. 

GOLD AND SILVER FILINGS. 

Gold and silver filings should always be kept separate 
from one another, as near as it is possible to do so, when 
sufficient quantities have accumulated. They may be 
treated thus: Procure a fine sieve and well sift them. 
Then pass a magnet through them a few times to ex- 
tract any iron or steel filings that may be there. Then 
proceed as follows : Take 

Silver dust or gold dust ... 12 ozs. 

Carbonate of potash 2 " 

Salt , 1 " 

Well mix them together and place in a crucible, put- 
ting a layer of salt on the top. Then melt well and add 
occasionally a little saltpetre while in a state of fusion, 
also a little more salt. Then allow to cool and break 
the crucible at the bottom and take out the button of 
gold, which may have a little alloy of silver and copper 



80 Secrets of the Trade. 

with it. This can be disposed of by granulation and 
treating with nitric acid as before mentioned. If silver, 
precipitate with a sheet of copper after having dissolved 
it in nitric acid. 

TO REFINE ROLLED GOLD PLATE. 

Heat a quantity of aqua regia to about 85° centr. 
in a porcelain vessel. Then immerse the rolled plate 
and leave in until every particle of gold is dissolved. 
Then boil the liquid for a few minutes and filter, theu 
add a small quantity of green vitriol, which will precipi- 
tate the gold in the form of a dark brown powder- 
Then wash in diluted nitric acid and again with hot 
water. Finally melt the gold in a new crucible with 
borax and saltpetre and pure gold will be the result. 



'^^w4> <aL» JTsLlSS S? 



IF SO, WE WILL SEND YOU A FINE IMITATION ^ 

'% Diamond Free ! ^ 



Hyacinths 


Intaglios 


Sard Cameos 


"Emeralds 


~M.ossagates 


Tourmalines 


JHubies 


"Peridots 


Agatized Wood 


"Montana Sapphires 


Obsidians 


Tip foils 


Amethysts 


"Rosalines 


Egyptian Turquo is 


~Nicolos 


Tiger eyes 


/ 


Noble Opals 


"Enamels 


Shell Cameos 




"Rock Crystals 


Touchstones 


Aquamarines 

Neochrysolites 
"Diamonds 


Spinells 

Opalines 
FoilbacJcs 


Hose Diamonds 
Enamel Balls 
Engraved Stones 
Tip Brilliants 


Cameos 

Onyx 

~M.GO.nstones 


Sardonyx 
Turquois 


Catseyes 
Hematites 
Imitation Stones. 


"Pearls 


Olivines 


Corals 


Agates 


Nivenites 


Almandines 


Needle Pyrites 


Essonites 


Qamets 


Yellow Topax 


Smoky Topaz 


Orthoclases 



INDEX. 

SUBJECT. PAGE. 

Acid on Cloths — To Remove 63 

Alloys — General 25 

Alloys — Gold 7 

Alloys — Silver . 20 

Anti Oxydize 57 

Brass — Paste for Cleaning 70 

Broach — To Make a Polishing • 70 

Brushes — To Clean 63 

Burnishing Powder 63 

Case Springs — To Temper 72 

Cements 75 

Cements.: — To Remove 67 

Clicks, Ratchets, etc. — To Temper '70 

Clocks — To Ebonize .. ........ 71 

Clocks— To Clean 67 

Clock Cases — To Stain •....' 70 

Colorings, Etc * 56 

Coral — To Close Seams in 67 

Cylinders, Staffs, Pinions, Etc. — To Temper 70 

Demagnetizing 67 

Diamond Broach or File — To Make 70 

Diamond Dap — To Make . 70 

Diamonds— To Test x . 66 

Diamantine — To Make 64 

Dials— To Drill Enamel , . . 68 

Dials — To Remove Stains from 69 

Dials— To White Silver 66 

Dials— To Glaze 63 

Dials — Cleaning 53 

Drills— To Temper 66 

Dull Gold— To Brighten 63 

Electro Plating 3 6 



Index. 83 

SUBJECT. PAGE. 

Electro Plating Powder 62, 73 

Enamels 30 

Enamel — To Remove 52 

Files — To Clean 62, 72 

Files — To Resharpen ~ 72 

Fluids — Soft Soldering 51 

Fluids — Soft Soldering Non-Corrosive 51 

Fluids — Hard Soldering 52 

Fusing Points of Metals 24 

Fusing Points of Solders , 24 

Gilt Articles— To Clean 64 

Gold — To Renovate Tarnisn 74 

Gold— To Test 68, 73, 74 

Grease — To Remove -.-.... 51 

Grindstone — To Make Effective, a 63 

Ground Glass — Imitation 71 

Gypsum Figures — To Clean 63 

Hair Springs — To Flatten 64 

Hair Springs — To Prevent Rusting of 6S 

Hair Springs — To Weaken 70 

Hard Seel— To Drill 65 

Iron — To Prevent Rusting of 74 

Ivory — To Bleach 67 

Ivory— To Etch 68 

Ivory— To Make Flexible 69 

Jewels— To Test 67 

Jewelry — Powder to Clean 71 

Jewel Holes — To Polish 74 

Jewel Sittings— To Polish 68 

Lacquers, Etc 60 

Levers — To Lengthen Acure Escapement 65 

Measuring Staffs 68 

Metals — To Dissolve 54 



84 Index. 

subject. Page. 

Metals— To Retain Polish of 73 

Melting Points of Gold Alloys, Etc 15 

Movements — To Clean 64 

Nickel Movements — To Restore 64, 53 

Nickle Plates— To Clean 64 

Nickel — to polish 75 

Oil for Lathes 71 

Oil for Stones 65 

Oilstones — To Clean . 66 

Oxydizes, Etc 56 

Oxydizes — To Remove * 54 

Pinions — To Remove Rust from 69 

Pivots — To Straighten 72 

Pivots— To Polish 72. 

Pickle for Brass 50 

Pickle for Brass Cleaning 52 

Pickle for Brass Polishing 53 

Pickle for Frosting 53, 52 



Pickle for Silver Frosting: 



52 



Pickle for Gold 5 o 

Pickle for Silver _ . . . 50 

Pickle — Strong Cleaning 50 

Pickle— To Remove Grease 51 

Plating Baths — Brass 38 

Plating Baths — -Copper 43 

Plating Baths— Gold 41 

Plating Baths — Nickel 44 

Plating Baths— Silver 38 

Plating— To Make Adhere . . 69 

Precious Stones — To Clean 62 

Prepared Chalk— To Make . . ' 64 

Quicksilver — To Remove 70 

Refining 76 

Resist Varnish 73 

Restoring Pearls 53 



Index. 85 

SUBJECT. PAGE. 

Rivets — to prevent cracking 75 

Ruby Pins — To Fasten . 65 

Screws — To Blue 67 

Set Rings— To Solder 66, 7 r 

Silver Ink 66 

Silver— To Test 68 

Silver— To Whiten 64 

Silverware — To Test r 73 

Silverware — Powder to Clean 62, 73 

Silverware — Solution to Clean 62 

Soft Solder — To Remove . 52 

Solders — Aluminum 23, 22 

Solders — Bismuth ' 23 

Solders — Copper ■ 18 

Solders — Gold 17 

Solder — Silver 21 

Solders — Soft 23 

Staffs and Pinions — To Pivot . . . • 64 

Stay Springs — To Solder £9 

Steel — To Remove Blueing from ■- 5r 

Steel — To Remove Rust from 69 

Steel — To Remove Temper From Polished 68 

Steel — Blue Glaze for 63 

Steel— To Anneal Polished 66 

Steel— To Bend Tempered . ! .' 66 

Steel— To Polish 65 

Steel— To Polish Flat 65 

Steel — To Prevent Rusting of 69, 74 

Stripping Silver Plate 54 

Stoves and Glass — to grind • 75 

Table of Weights 16 

Table of Metallic Elements 19 

Tarnish — To Remove 50, 52 

Tarnish From Gilding — To Remove 53 

Teeth in Wheels — To Replace 65 

Tinge for Silver or Gold Color 52 

Tinge for Soft Solder 67 

Tools— To Harden Steel 62 



86 



Index. 



SUBJECT. PAGE. 

Tools — To Mark Name on • . . 62 

Tortoise Shell—To Polish 71 

Watch Glasses — To Lessen Diameter 65 

Watch Plates— To Frost 53, 52 

Watch Plates— To Grind 68 

Watch Plates — Powder for 72 

Watch Plates— To Satin Finish 74 



:tSll//i 




GENEVA OPTICAL CO., 

67 sincL ©3 " , \77" a, s li i n gf t o n Street. 

Chicago, U. S. A. 




MANUFACTURERS OF GOLD, SILVER AND STEEL 

Spectacles and Eyeglasses 

IN EVERY FORM. 

Trial Lenses, Opthalmoscopes, Prisoptometers, 
Lens Measures, and all kinds of Instruments 
and Apparatus for Oeeulists and Op- 
ticians in detecting errors of Re- 
fraction, Analyzing Lenses 
and Machines for Cutting 
and Grinding 
Lenses. 



Prescription and Repair Work done promptly 
and accurately. 

SEND FOR CATALOGUE. ALWAYS AT THE FRONT 



mvi&zm, 



(§)Wartcl|ild |§ (Bo., 

IMPORTERS AND JOBBERS OF 

WATCHMAKERS AND JEWELERS SUPPLIES, 

76 and 78 STATE STREET, 

-CHICAGO.- 



CATALOGUE SENT ON APPLICATION 



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■.»:.' •«:••..•■.•;. 



tl WHOLESALE to legitimate dealers ONLY. 



Watches, Jewelry, Silverware, 

Clocks, Canes, Gold Pens, Optical 

Goods, Compasses, &c. 



b£ 



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p 

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Watchmakers' Tools and Materials, 
Jewelry Material, Cases, 

Trays, &c. 
Electro-Platers' Supplies. 



• • • • • 



ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES^ LAPP & FLERSHEM, 
SENT ON APPLICATION. ^ ■ k ^^ „ ' 

CHICAGO, ILL. 

92, 94. 96, 98 STATE ST.-COR. WASHINGTON. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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